Once upon a time, in a very far-off country, there lived a mer-chant who had been so fortunate in all his undertakings that hewas enormously rich. As he had, however, six sons and sixdaughters, he found that his money was not too much to let themall have everything they fancied, as they were accustomed to do.

But one day a most unexpected misfortune befell them. Theirhouse caught fire and was speedily burnt to the ground, withall the splendid furniture, the books, pictures, gold, silver, andprecious goods it contained; and this was only the beginning oftheir troubles. Their father, who had until this moment prosperedin all ways, suddenly lost every ship he had upon the sea, eitherby dint of pirates, shipwreck, or fire. Then he heard that hisclerks in distant countries, whom he trusted entirely, had provedunfaithful; and at last from great wealth he fell into the direstpoverty.
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All that he had left was a little house in a desolate place at leasta hundred leagues from the town in which he had lived, and to thishe was forced to retreat with his children, who were in despair atthe idea of leading such a different life. Indeed, the daughters atfirst hoped that their friends, who had been so numerous whilethey were rich, would insist on their staying in their houses nowthey no longer possessed one. But they soon found that theywere left alone, and that their former friends even attributed theirmisfortunes to their own extravagance, and showed no intentionof offering them any help. So nothing was left for them but totake their departure to the cottage, which stood in the midst of

a dark forest, and seemed to be the most dismal place upon theface of the earth. As they were too poor to have any servants,the girls had to work hard, like peasants, and the sons, for theirpart, cultivated the fields to earn their living. Roughly clothed,and living in the simplest way, the girls regretted unceasingly theluxuries and amusements of their former life; only the youngesttried to be brave and cheerful. She had been as sad as anyonewhen misfortune first overtook her father, but, soon recoveringher natural gaiety, she set to work to make the best of things, toamuse her father and brothers as well as she could, and to tryto persuade her sisters to join her in dancing and singing. Butthey would do nothing of the sort, and, because she was not asdoleful as themselves, they declared that this miserable life wasall she was fit for. But she was really far prettier and clevererthan they were; indeed, she was so lovely that she was alwayscalled Beauty. After two years, when they were all beginning toget used to their new life, something happened to disturb theirtranquillity. Their father received the news that one of his ships,which he had believed to be lost, had come safely into port witha rich cargo. All the sons and daughters at once thought thattheir poverty was at an end, and wanted to set out directly for thetown; but their father, who was more prudent, begged them towait a little, and, though it was harvest-time, and he could ill bespared, determined to go himself first, to make inquiries. Onlythe youngest daughter had any doubt but that they would soonagain be as rich as they were before, or at least rich enough to livecomfortably in some town where they would find amusementand gay companions once more. So they all loaded their fatherwith commissions for jewels and dresses which it would havetaken a fortune to buy; only Beauty, feeling sure that it was ofno use, did not ask for anything. Her father, noticing her silence,said: "And what shall I bring for you, Beauty?"